Canadian Drug Crisis

Substance abuse is on the rise worldwide and Canada is not immune. Here are some Canadian statistics on drug and alcohol abuse:

47,000 Canadian deaths are linked to substance abuse annually.— Health Officer's Council of British Columbia

23% of Ontario students report that they were offered, sold, or given a drug at school in the last year. That's about 219,000 students.

42% of Ontario students surveyed have used an illicit substance in the last year.

83% of Ontario students in grade 12 drink alcohol. 49% of gr. 12 students admit to binge drinking.

The top four substances used by Ontario students: 58% alcohol; Cannabis (marijuana) 25%; Non-prescribed use of prescription pain relievers such as codeine, Percocet, Percodan, Demerol, or Tylenol #3, 17%; Tobacco 11.7%. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

14 gangs currently operate within the borders of Toronto's Division 12.— Toronto Star

Canada's illegal drug trade hit a 30-year high in 2007.— Financial Post
For every $5 spent on drug rehabilitation by the Canadian government, $95 is spent on incarceration of drug users.— Health Officer's Council of BC

60% of illicit drug users in Canada are between the ages of 15 and 24.— Statistics Canada

10% of night time drivers showed evidence of drug use while only 8.1% tested positive for alcohol.— Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse

Pedestrians under the influence of alcohol accounted for 12.3% of alcohol related road deaths in Canada.— Traffic Injury Research Foundation

UN Office on Drugs and Crime found 16.8% of Canadians aged 15 to 64 smoked marijuana or used other cannabis products.— CBC News

One out of every three high school kids in Ontario who is smoking is choosing to buy his cigarettes from, basically, a criminal.— Canadian Press

A recent national survey found that between 1994 and 2004, the proportion of Canadians who reported having used an illicit drug in their lifetime rose from 28% to 45%.— Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse

Among the over 100,000 drug-related incidents identified by police in 2007, 62% involved cannabis. Of these, three-quarters were for possession.— Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse

In its 2008 annual report on organized crime, Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (CISC) states that Canada has become one of the primary source countries in the world for ecstasy.— Statistics Canada

In 2007, the police-reported rate of drug offences in Canada reached its highest point in 30 years.— Statistics Canada

In 2006/2007, about half of all drug-related court cases were stayed, withdrawn, dismissed or discharged.— Statistics Canada

When asked about their specific crime worries, 52% of those polled said they were "very concerned" about drug activity.— National Post

About one Ontario student in 50 (2%) said he or she had used crack at least once in the past year. This is about 19,300 students.— Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Children of addicts are up to 9 times more likely to develop an addiction of their own.— Web4Health

In 2005, about one Ontario student in 20 (4.4%) in grades 7 to 12 said he or she had used cocaine at least once in the past year. This is almost 43,000 students.— Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Between 1991 and 2007, opioid-related deaths doubled in Ontario.— Globe and Mail